


its you, it always has been.

by chhoso



Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Breakfast in Bed, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, MatchaBlossom, Mutual Pining, Post Episode 9, Sharing a Bed, basically this is a comfort fic of these two idiots who mutually pine over each other, matcha blossom, matchablossom brainrot is real yall, no beta in the wild west yall
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:56:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29895258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chhoso/pseuds/chhoso
Summary: this takes place after the episode 9 post credit scene of Joe and Cherry, in which Joe closes his restaurant to take care of Cherry, and feelings that were never acknowledged, threaten their way out.
Relationships: Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom
Comments: 14
Kudos: 172





	1. home is with you.

“I found some white wine, did you want somethi-” Kojiro had stopped in his tracks as he saw his childhood friend asleep on his counter, glasses threatening to fall off at any moment.

A smile grew on his face as he came to sit beside him, pouring their drinks like he had planned. 

“We’re not alone. Right… Kaoru?”

Kojiro couldn’t keep his eyes off his friend as he took the time to drink the wine he had brought out for the both of them. Leaning his arm on the table, Kojiro put his drink down and reached his hand out slowly, tentatively, not wanting to wake the other up. 

“You don’t even know the power you have over me.” His hands moved slowly to remove the glasses of Kaoru’s face and place them in his shirt pocket. He returned his hands to a familiar head of pink hair, running his fingers through the softness, and moving the loose strands behind his friend's ear. 

Tears threatened to escape his eyes. On Kaoru's forehead there were more smaller cuts that Kojiro didn’t notice earlier. 

Cuts, scars, casted arm, sprained leg, so much pain, and for what? He continued to run his hands through his hair, thoughts spinning in his head. “The wine must be getting to me” he whispered.

“hmmm” Kaoru began to shift in his sleep, bringing Kojiro back to the present. 

“Kaoru” he said softly, “It’s late. I’m going to bring you upstairs okay?” 

“Mmm” 

Kojiro removed his hand from his head and began to put their glasses away. The lack of heat made Kaoru move again. 

“Don’t go” Kaoru whispered, missing the familiar heat near him. Kojiro walked back to the other man and slowly, with as much care as he could muster, pick up the smaller man in his arms. 

“I would never leave you.”

Kaoru, though eyes pressed closed, was now awake, too embarrassed to say anything. He could feel Kojiro’s heart beating in his ears as he leaned into him. 

Today was so rough, and quite literally painful, but it was also just draining. Though, right now Kaoru knew that leaving the hospital to come here, to Sialaluce, to his friend, to his Kojiro, to perhaps something more… a home that wasn't empty, was the thing he needed most.

He was tired and exhausted, but never of this. The only person, the only soul in his life that would accept him without question, even in his half broken state. He was thankful, but would never say it out-loud. That was their silent agreement, Kojiro thought. Knowing the other would always be there for them, even when it felt like the world was against them. 

Kojiro made it up the stairs, to his small but cozy home above Sialaluce. He brought Kaoru to his bed, laying him down softly. Adjusting the pillows underneath his friend's head, and placing his spares under his leg and arm, Kojiro took the blanket and placed it over him. He took his spare blanket and settled on the floor beside his bed. The bed was big enough for the both of them, but he didn’t want to accidentally hurt Kaoru in his sleep, more than he already was that is. 

Laying on the floor, sleep refused to come. How much time has passed? He thought as his mind raced to show the images of Kaoru getting hit over and over and over again. He was angry, but also hurt. He knew that the devil he once called his friend would play dirty, and yet he still let Kaoru beef against him.

I should’ve stopped him. 

He turned his body in frustration, knowing that it was going to be a long night of contemplating regrets. 

“Kojiro. Are you awake?” 

Kojiro stopped turning to stay flat on his back, looking up at the ceiling in the dark.

“I thought you were asleep?” he replied back.

“My head is pulsing, it woke me up.” 

Kojiro got up and looked over at the man laying in his bed, pink hair spilling over his pillows., moonlight dancing on sheets as Kaoru turned his head to look back at him. 

“Do you want me to bring you back to the hospital? You shouldn’t have left so quickly. I think I may have some pain killers you can take in the meantime. We should probably- ”

“Shhh. Calm down, I’m fine. I just- could you um...”.

Kojiro waited patiently for the other to finish his sentence, watching as he saw red creep into his cheeks, illuminated by the moonlight.

“Could you run your fingers through my hair for a bit, just until I fall asleep. It’ll help the headache. If you don’t want to, it’s fine. Honestly it's not that bad.” 

Kojiro got up without a word and moved to join Kaoru on his bed. He slipped under the blanket, sitting up, back against the headboard. Kaoru shifted slowly to make space for the man joining him, trying not to hurt himself more in the process. Kojiro noticed, and adjusted the pillows for him once again. 

“Are you comfortable?”

“Mhm.” he whispered back. 

Now settled, Kojiro brought his hand to Kaoru’s head, brushing his hair from his forehead and moving his hand towards his scalp. Kaoru closed his eyes as the big soft hands ran through his hair slowly, massaging his scalp in the process.

“Kaoru.” he whispered, almost hoping he wouldn’t hear him. 

“Hmm?”

“... I’m sorry. About everything. I should’ve stopped you. I knew how he was, and I-.. I-” tears threatened their way out again as the images flashed through his mind again. The sound of the loud crack of wood, and thud as he saw his friend, His Kaoru, fall to the ground, couldn’t escape his mind. 

“You have such a gorilla brain you know that?” Kaoru joked after a moment. 

“I’m being serious Kaoru” 

“No you’re being dumb. I knew who he was too. I knew what he was capable of doing, and I still went on with the race. It was my choice, not yours. If I’m hurt it's because of me, not you Kojiro.”

Silence settled between them, as Kojiro continued to run his fingers through his hair. Kaoru opened his eyes to look at the man beside him, eyes watery, with a red nose he faintly could see in the dark. 

He closed his eyes again but brought his hand that was uninjured to the hand that was running through his hair. 

“You big idiot.” He said while lacing his fingers with a hand much larger than his own, “ I’m fine. It's not your fault. I would never blame you. It's mine and only mine. Don’t think too much about it, it doesn’t suit you.” A smile kept on his face as he felt Kojiro squeeze his hand softly.

“Fine. But next time leave the fighting to me.”

Kaoru smiled in the dark, heart swelling in his chest. It was this that he could never give up. Kojiro and his big heart. His protective tendencies, but also the soft and kind moments. Something that Kaoru liked to believe was a privilege only he got to see. A trust and comfort that grew between them over the years they spent together. No matter how much they bickered, nothing could take away from what they were to each other.

But what was it that they were? 

Kaoru decided that this isn't the time to worry about it. 

Instead he brought their hands down to his side, under the blanket not saying a word. Kojiro understood without needing to be told. He moved himself to slide more into the blankets to now lay beside Kaoru. 

Fingers laced together under the sheets in the dark room, their breathing evened out, and a much needed sleep took them under.


	2. I only trust you.

Sun rays slipped past the curtains, reaching Kojiro’s eyes, forcing him out of his sleep. As he opened his eyes, he immediately was drawn to the man laying with him, fast asleep. Somehow through the night Kaoru and Kojiro had moved to lay on their sides, allowing for Kojiro to spoon Kaoru, with his arm over him. 

_ He’s so small _ , Kojiro noted. 

Not wanting to wake the other up, Kojiro moved slowly out of bed, grabbing his phone off the night table. After brushing his teeth and taking a quick shower, he went down to Sialaluce, to put up a sign at his window. 

_ Closed till further notice. _ _   
  
_

“Alright. Now what shall we make today?” 

\---

As Kaoru woke up, it took him a moment to realize he wasn’t in his bed. Moving to lay on his back, the sudden absence of another person hit him. “Kojiro” he mumbled, looking around the room to see where he had gone. 

“Kojiro?” He called , louder this time. 

“Leave it to you to wake up at the perfect time” a familiar voice said from outside the room. Kojiro walked into the room with a tray of pancakes, syrup, with fruits on the side, and two cups of hot tea. “Breakfast in bed for the hospital runaway, princess.” 

Kaoru, for the first time, was at a loss for words. No one has ever made him breakfast in bed before. Not that he was spending nights at peoples places in the first place. But something about seeing the effort that Kojiro had made, made his cheeks warm up. 

Kojiro placed the tray aside, and prompted to help Kaoru up into a sitting position, so that he could comfortably sit against the wall. 

“I can’t do it myself,” he said, but Kojiro helped him up anyway, not needing to say anything back. He knew that Kaoru was horrible, and he meant  _ horrible _ , at asking for help. 

But that's why their relationship worked. Kaoru never had to verbalize asking for help, Kojiro knew when to insert himself into his life when he needed him, and whenever Kojiro needed help, he knew that Kaoru never would say no. He may joke about how Kojiro wouldn’t survive without him, but when it came down to it, Kaoru had always stuck beside Kojiro. 

Kojiro placed the tray in front of him and proceeded to Kaoru and took a cup of tea for himself, sitting on the bed with him. 

“Hmm, it looks good.”

“Of course it does, I made it,” he replied with a soft knowing smirk. Sipping his tea, Kojiro closed his eyes enjoying the aroma of the hot drink. 

“Don’t you have to open up sialaluce soon? Shouldn’t you get to start prepping Ko?”

Kojiro kept his eyes shut as he responded. “I don’t feel like it.”

“You? You don’t feel like it? Mr. I-would-cool-all-day-if-could, doesn’t  _ feel _ like working”

“Hey! I’m not like that! And sometimes a man deserves a break.”

“Kojiro. If this is because of me then-”

“Oh please not everything is because of you. I already had planned to close, I needed some time off after the tournament. Can’t push this handsome body too much.”

Kaoru could tell when Kojiro was lying. It wasn’t that he was a bad liar, it was more that he could never lie to him. Kaoru knew the other too well to not spot a lie when it presented itself. However this was a lie he appreciated, but also felt a little guilty for. He knew that Kojiro would drop everything to help him, but still, to close work was a lot to ask.

“Are you going to eat those pancakes, or are you gonna sit there looking at me all day?” Kojiro grinned widely. 

“I have no interest in looking at you all day”

“The feeling is mutual” 

_ Lies. It was the obvious and they both knew they were lying, but it was easier than saying anything else.  _

Kaoru went to grab the fork to eat the precut piece of pancake with his left hand, struggling to properly grasp the fork. Watching him struggle, Kojiro reached out for the fork that kept slipping. 

“I can do it by myself.” 

“I know.”

Kojiro moved the tray so it was closer for him to reach the food. He took a piece of pancake, still warm, with some syrup drizzled on, and a piece of strawberry to the fork. 

“You don’t have to.”

He brought the fork to Kaoru’s mouth. 

“I know.” 

Kaoru took in the bite, closing his eyes, he relished how soft and fluffy the pancake was. There was a hint of cinnamon, just the way he loved it, and the strawberry adding to the flavour of the bite. The smile on his face from just one bite was impossible to hide. 

Kojiro absolutely loved seeing the way people enjoyed his food. The way they smile when its served, the moment they take their first bite, and their reactions along with it all. It was one of his favourite things about his work. But nothing was better than seeing Kaoru unable to hide how much he enjoyed his food. The smile that spreads across his features when eating the food that he made specially for him, god it was such an ego booster no matter how many times he’s seen it. 

After finishing the meal, Kojiro passed him a tissue to wipe his mouth with and moved the tray off the bed. 

“That was really good.” Kaoru said softly. 

“Oh?”

“Big, but also soft, just the way I like it.”

“Wow a compliment? What’s the occasion?” Kojiro couldn’t hold back that smile growing on his face.

Kaoru could feel his cheeks getting warmer at the look Kojiro made, forcing him to look the other way. “I give credit where it’s due.” 

“Well thank you princess for such a wonderful compliment, I am not worthy” Kojiro laughed as he bowed in the other man's direction.

Kaoru turned to grab a pillow and throw it at the other man’s direction. “You’re so annoying. Take the compliment or leave it.” The heat in his cheeks refused to leave at the thought of the way Kojiro had called him princess. 

_ Princess. _

Kojiro caught the pillow laughing “Okay, okay” he said through his giggles, placing the pillow back on the bed. 

He collected the tray and brought it to the sink, returning back to his room with, what Kaoru could guess was a towel and a robe. 

“Alright, I tried to get your carla chair into my washroom, and it doesn’t fit.”

“What”

“Yeah, so I’ll just carry you into the tub.”

“Huh?” It took a moment for Kaoru to process what Kojiro was saying. 

“What did the doctor say you have to do for your casts? Will a plastic bag as a cover work or did they say something else?”

“Kojiro.”

Kojiro looked up where he was searching for the bags. “Yeah?”

“I’m not letting you help me shower,”

“What?” Kojiro sounded generally shocked, which surprised Kaoru even more. 

_ Did he just expect me to be okay with this?  _

“I’ll figure it out myself.”

“How Kao? You can’t even walk right now. And who else can you even call to help you?”

Kaoru stayed silent. He was right. There was no one he could really ask. Carla was the closest thing he had to a friend that was almost as close to him as Kojiro was. 

“If you feel uncomfortable I can try to see if someon-”

“No. I just.”

Kojiro knew that Kaoru was never one to show off his body. Out of the two he was the one who loved to flaunt his skin, taking off his shit at any given chance. Whereas Kaoru was usually covered all over, whether that was when he was at work, off hours, or going skating with him. 

“I’ll be careful. We’ll make sure to cover your casts, and I’ll make sure the water isn’t too hot for any cuts or bruises.” 

Kaoru looked at Kojiro, who was now bent down beside the bed, eye level to him.    
  


_ There isn’t anyone else I would trust with the version of me that is here right now, Kaoru thought.  _

“Okay.”

Kojiro sighed with relief, as a smile that Kaoru knew and loved, spread across his face _. _

“Okay”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapters seems to be the format I'm liking with this fic. I hope you all don't mind.  
> Coming Next: bubble baths and more blushing 🥺❤️

**Author's Note:**

> Ahh okay short first chapter cause I really need to sleep, but I'll probably update tomorrow! Feel free to message me on tumblr at chhoso.tumblr.com and scream about matcha blossom!!


End file.
